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Polycarbonate polyols from biogenic CO2 - Feasibility assessment
J.Lehtonen, J.Kärki, M. Nevander, M. Suomalainen, M. HurskainenVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.
22/01/2020 VTT – beyond the obvious
VTT today
27%of Finnish innovations have links with VTT’s competences
2,103employees
patent families
406of turnover from abroad*
47%
VTTis under the state ownership steering of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
*VTT Group 2019
VTT is a visionary partner for research, development and innovation, helping enterprises and society at large to put new science and technology into practice.
VTT is an international research institution with EUR 245 millionin funding.
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VTT’s key assets in Power-to-X and CCU
• Renewable energy• Clean hydrogen • CO2 capture from air and
industrial sources• Biochemistry and
biotechnology • Catalysis and catalytic
processes• Process and system
modelling• TEA & LCA• Scale-up and piloting• E-fuel usage and engines• Concrete curing with CO2
Catalytic conversionprocesses
Microbialconversionprocesses
Sustainable fuels, chemicals and materials without fossil resources
Cleanhydrogenand CO2
Main objectives of the BECCU project Perform proof-of-concept for the integrated production of
power & heat, specialty chemicals and transportation fuels based on utilization of CO2 from bio-based operations and hydrogen from water electrolysis or industrial processes.
Increase technical readiness levels (TRL) of the studied unit processes and develop the profitability of the concepts.
Compare selected CO2 utilization concepts (e.g. SNG, methanol) in contrast to CO2 - based polyol products.
Create new business opportunities throughout the value chain.
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Versatile polyurethanes in the spotlight
Polyurethane can be used in various long lifetime applications such as insulation materials Figure: Finnfoam
Polyurethanes are widely used in adhesives for such applications as woodworking glues Figure: Kiilto
Target chemical products in BECCU project are polyols, including polycarbonate and polyether polyols, being important raw materials for polyurethanes. Polyurethanes are used as either flexible or rigid foams (to be used in insulation
materials, footwear, automotive parts etc.) and as adhesives (for such applications as woodworking glues and in abrasive papers).
Polyols and polyurethanes market Polycarbonates and polycarbonate polyols have growing markets with total
demand of tens of millions tons annually. In technologies based on fossil epoxides the sustainable carbon content is
typically 20 - 40 %. With the CO2-to-olefins technology, polyols with 100 % carbon originating from
biomass and CO2 can be produced and on commercial scale millions of tons sustainable carbon stocks could be used annually!
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Chemicals World market size Mt / a
World market size B US $ / a
Current source Growth rate estimation %
Polyols 13.5a,b 28 Fossil 8.5Polyurethanes(PU)
15 77 Fossil 4.7
NotesaIn about 90% of total polyurethane manufacturebPolyols in PU: Polyether >> polyester > polycarbonate
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Parallel Business Finland company projects:
Other funding partner companies benefiting from the project:
VTT’s budget: 2.035 MEUR (co-innovation in total 4.835 MEUR)
Schedule: Jan/2020 – Dec/2021
International co-operation:
Main finance from Business Finland as part of Green Electrification-ecosystem
The BECCU consortium
Route for chemicals and polymers• The process is based on the production of olefins through reverse water-gas shift
(rWGS) and Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reaction steps.• The olefins are further converted to epoxides through oxidation reactions by peroxides
and epoxides are polymerized together with CO2 to obtain polyols.• The yield of C2-C4 olefins is maximized to be used in polyol production and higher
hydrocarbons are utilized as energy carriers (waxes or fuels).
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Enhanced carbon efficiency by the circulation of methane and unreacted gases in Fischer-Tropsch
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CO2 efficiency = 85 - 95 %
UNREACTED GAS + FT PRODUCT GASES
CPOx: Catalytic partial oxidation
OlefinsCPOx/rWGS
Iron catalyzed FT
Polyols from mixed C2-C4 olefins
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Mixed olefins Mixed epoxides Polyols from mixedepoxides
Polycarbonate polyol synthesis
11
Products based on BO Products based on PO
BECCU-11 BECCU-12
• PO and BO copolymerization with CO2• Heterogeneous catalysts applied• Varying Mw of the product by changing process conditions and starter
polyol concentration• Application tests for polyurethane formulations starting
Process modelling of CO2-based polyolproduction applied with various parameters
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Inputs Price Outputs Price
Electricity (total) 45 €/MWh Cyclic
carbonates 900 €/t
Hydrogen peroxide 550 €/t By-product
heat 20 €/MWh
CO2
supply 50 €/t By-productoxygen 40 €/t
Other parameters
Electrolyser electricity input 100 MWe
Annual plant operation time 8 000 h
Total investment cost estimate(20 years and 8% WACC for annuity) 124 M€
INCO2 need 100 kt/a
H2 need 16 kt/a
OUTPolycarbonate polyols 38 kt/a
Cyclic carbonates 2 kt/a
Excess oxygen 84 kt/a
Key parameters in techno-economic calculations for BECCU-polyols production
Production cost estimate for BECCU-polyols
Note! The estimates are based on assumptions of several low-TRL technologies that need still further experimental verification.
OPEX cost structure
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Cost M€Carbon dioxide 5,0Hydrogen peroxide 14,1Consumables 0,41,4-butanediol 3,3Catalysts 0,5Electricity to H2 36,0Other electricity 3,5Maintenance and repairs 1,2Waste disposal 0,4Fixed operating cost 4,9Total operating cost 69,4
Payback times from less than two to four years possible
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According to market information the product price could be 2500 - 4500 €/t
=> profitable BECCU-production could be possible=> payback time (without taxes and interest) roughly 4 years with 2500 €/t market price
Production cost sensitivities
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Production cost is heavily dependent on the electricity price (and the investment level)
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Target after the project: Demonstration of olefin production using VTT’s
mobile synthesis unit in an industrial site
Summary In BECCU project, a proof-of concept from bio-based CO2 and
hydrogen to chemicals (polyols) and fuels will be performed By VTT approach, polyols with 100 % carbon originating from CO2
can be produced to be utilized for polyurethane applications Techno-economic assessment indicates that the production of
polyols can be profitable via BECCU route The developed concept model will become more accurate when
additional experimental data is obtained in the project
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More info: beccu.fi
ContactJuha Lehtonen: [email protected] Kärki: [email protected]
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
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VTT is one of the largest internationally networked R&D centres for applied research in Northern Europe, developing high technology for sustainable development and creation of new business opportunities.
